Samsung to reclaim the crown for the largest global smartphone brand in 2026

Last year, 2025, Samsung lost the crown for the largest smartphone brand globally in terms of shipments to Apple. This was by just one percentage point, and it left Samsung in second place on the chart.

It’s expected that this year the South Korean tech giant, Samsung, will regain the top position. However, Counterpoint Research predicts that Samsung will be the number one smartphone brand in terms of shipments in 2026. It further adds that the brand regaining the position (taking back the crown) is a sign of its greater resilience to higher memory chip prices.

Nevertheless, the research firm expects global smartphone shipments to drop 14.3% in 2026. This is as a result of the ongoing memory chip shortage. Notwithstanding, it’s expected that Samsung will grow 0.8%. Counterpoint Research still adds that the growth will be driven by its highly integrated supply chain and mature distribution network as well.

Additionally, Counterpoint Research Principal Analyst Wang Yang states that Samsung’s return to the top position comes down to its internal component capabilities, broad portfolio, and established operator as well as retail relationships. Also note that in terms of shipments in Q2 2026, Samsung was the number one smartphone brand in Europe and Latin America.

Source.